Ani Rinchen Khandro

Ani Rinchen Khandro is a life ordained nun in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. She spent the first ten years of her ordained life at Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery where she studied and practised Buddhism under some of the most eminent Tibetan Lamas of today. During this time she was responsible for the publicity, public relations and fundraising for the Monastery and for the Holy Island Project for World Peace and Health.

In 2003 Ani Rinchen Khandro entered the traditional, longterm, closed retreat of three years, three months, three weeks in the women's retreat on Holy Island. Having successfully completed this intensive practice she resumed work and teaching at Samye Ling and was commissioned to write a book celebrating the Centre's 40th Anniversary. Kagyu Samye Ling – The Story charts the remarkable journey of Tibetan Buddhism to the West, from its beginnings in The Land of Snows to its flowering in Scotland and subsequent branches around the world.

In 2008 Ani Rinchen Khandro was appointed by Samye Ling's founder Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche and Abbot Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche to establish and run Kagyu Samye Dzong Edinburgh Tibetan Buddhist Centre for World Peace and Health. Since her arrival in Edinburgh the KSDE Centre has increased activities from its current base at the Theosophical Society building in 28 Great King Street and now runs a wide variety of classes, courses and public talks on meditation, prayer, therapies, interfaith work and other wholesome activities. The Centre has an open door policy and serves not only the Buddhist community but the people of Edinburgh as a whole.